Leaving Cert

Leaving Cert Subjects

Subjects & Career Choice

Another perspective worth considering when making subject choices is their relationship to career areas and college courses.  As a guideline, here are some pointers that you may find useful for a range of popular career areas:

Please note: These are guidlines based on popular choices, and do not indicate essential subject requirements!


Primary School Teaching
  • English
  • Irish
  • Maths
  • Language
  • Biology
  • History/Geography
  • Religion
  • Your favourite subject

Architecture
  • English
  • Irish
  • Maths
  • Language
  • Physics
  • Art
  • Design & Communication Graphics

Business
  • English
  • Irish
  • Maths
  • Language
  • Business/Accountancy
  • Economics
  • Your favourite subject

Nursing
  • English
  • Irish
  • Maths
  • Biology
  • Chemistry/Agricultural Science
  • Home Economics - Scientific and Social
  • Your favourite subject

Physiotherapy
  • English
  • Irish
  • Maths
  • Language
  • Biology
  • Physics/Chemistry
  • Your favourite subject

Science
  • English
  • Irish
  • Maths
  • Biology/Chemistry
  • Physics/Agricultural Science
  • Geography
  • Your favourite subject

Medicine
  • English
  • Irish
  • Maths
  • Language
  • Chemistry
  • Biology/Physics/Agricultural Science
  • Your favourite subject

Psychology
  • English
  • Irish
  • Maths
  • Language
  • Biology
  • Business/Economics
  • Your favourite subject

Engineering
  • English
  • Irish
  • Maths
  • Physics
  • Chemistry/Engineering
  • Design & Communication Graphics
  • Applied Maths

Law
  • English
  • Irish
  • Maths
  • Language
  • Business
  • History/Classical Studies
  • Your favourite subject

Agricultural Science
  • English
  • Irish
  • Maths
  • Agricultural Science
  • Business/Agricultural Economics
  • Biology
  • Your favourite subject

Veterinary
  • English
  • Irish
  • Maths
  • Language
  • Chemistry
  • Biology/Agricultural Science
  • Your favourite subject

Computer Science
  • English
  • Irish
  • Maths
  • Language
  • Physics
  • Design & Communication Graphics
  • Your favourite subject

Dentistry
  • English
  • Irish
  • Maths
  • Language
  • Chemistry
  • Biology/Physics
  • Your favourite subject

Social Science
  • English
  • Irish
  • Maths
  • Language
  • Geography
  • Religion
  • Your favourite subject

Hotel Management
  • English
  • Irish
  • Maths
  • Language
  • Business
  • Home Economics - Scientific and Social
  • Your favourite subject

Pharmacy
  • English
  • Irish
  • Maths
  • Language
  • Chemistry
  • Biology
  • Your favourite subject
Orla Aherne, Investment Consultant

What subjects did you take in school and how have these influenced your career path?

I chose Biology, Chemistry, Applied Maths and Accounting for my Leaving Cert. All largely irrelevant!

With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I’d done Economics but it can be difficult to know at age 18 what job you’ll end up in and what subjects would be beneficial.

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Brian O'Connor, Analytical Chemist

What subjects did you take in school and how have these influenced your career path?

Because I didn’t do my leaving certificate in Ireland I didn’t have to make big choices earlier on in my life. It was when I went to college that I chose the subjects that I wanted to do. I chose to major in Chemistry and to minor in Biology as a Pre Medical School student. In America you have to complete a degree first before you are accepted into medical school. By my third year of college I fell in love with chemistry and no longer wished to go to med school. It is funny how it all worked out but I have no regrets about it. I really enjoy being a chemist.

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Niamh Cacciato, Solicitor

What subjects did you take in school and how have these influenced your career path?

I chose two languages in school- French and German. I had the choice of German or Art and Music. Most people chose Art and Music and there was only one class out of six classes of first year doing two languages. I believe that doing two languages improved my proficiency in language in general and my ability to learn new vocabulary and grasp new concepts.

I realised I was good at working out how to express myself in French and German and I always wanted to learn new words and phrases and this led me to then choose languages as two of my three subjects for an Arts Degree at third level. I knew that I would like to do French at university and then when I learnt that Italian was on offer I thought why not try something new! I also knew that Italian was similar to French as they are both Latin-based languages and I could guess some of the Italian vocabulary from my knowledge of French.

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